Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) Director Shelia Dillon today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Community Services (OCS) has awarded two City of Boston nonprofit agencies —Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation and Madison Park Development Corporation — over $1.5 million in Community Economic Development Grants.

“I want to thank the Obama Administration and Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for their commitment and leadership,” said Mayor Thomas Menino. “The redevelopment of these vacant parcels represents increased opportunities for Boston’s growing food entrepreneurs, jobs for our residents, improved access to healthy affordable food and a more robust and resilient food system infrastructure.”

The Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation is working in partnership with CropCircle Kitchen, Incorporated to turn the Pearl Meat Factory in Dorchester into a 35,000-square-foot, multi-tenant, food production facility, known as the Bornstein & Pearl Food Production Small Business Center. The development will support over 50 food production businesses and create more than 80 new jobs within the first three years of operation. CropCircle Kitchen currently operates a shared commercial kitchen out of the JP Brewery that is home to the 39 small food businesses and more than 200 jobs, has incubated and graduated more than 20 food enterprises such as Nella Pasta and Batch Ice Cream and has more than 36 would-be entrepreneurs waiting for space.

The development is expected to be completed in 2013 and will feature a fully-equipped commissary kitchen able to accommodate five to six food production companies; a shared commercial kitchen with large shared dry and cold storage areas for food, communal specialty equipment, including a blast freezer, steam table, steam oven, smokers, and large production kettle; a separate food truck commissary, with dedicated wash-down and light cooking areas; and a USDA certified shared meat processing and co-packing area.

The Madison Park Development Corporation is partnering with Tropical Foods International to create a proposed a $32-million three-building multi-use development on the 2.1 acre parcel, known as Parcel 10. The development will include a 40,000-square-foot two-story grocery store that will be home to the Tropical Foods grocery store, and a five-story building with retail, office space, and off-street parking. A third building, the current home of Tropical Foods, would be redeveloped into first floor retail space, and 66 units of housing.